Wires firmly cut…Bluetooth celebrates 20 years Young

Wires firmly cut…Bluetooth celebrates 20 years Young

2018 sees the 20th birthday of Bluetooth technology which has transformed the way we work, rest and play! Bluetooth gadgets have changed dramatically during this time as the images below show….from Sci-Fi gadget to bulky to micro audio technology….

Formed in 1998, the ruling body of this technology “Bluetooth SIG” started with a handful of companies focused on wire replacement for mobile voice and data. Today over 33,000 member companies are part of an organisation dedicated to perfecting and advancing a flexible, reliable, and secure wireless connection solution.

Mark Powell, executive director for Bluetooth SIG, comments’: “The Bluetooth connection is driving innovation and innovation creates major new markets. Whether it is connections for wireless audio, wearable devices, tracking assets, automated buildings, Bluetooth has been – and will continue to be – the innovative force creating new demand from all sectors. This consumer desire in turn then creates promotional marketing demand as marketers look for products that will keep their message close to mind and topical and hence improving and riving return on investment. Bluetooth technology has been creating connections that power innovation and establish new markets. Before Bluetooth, the wireless audio and connected device markets did not exist. Now, nearly 4 billion Bluetooth devices are expected to ship in 2018 across a number of consumer, commercial, and industrial markets. This technology has opened up and continues to drive a large opportunity for the promotional marketing community with large volumes of audio devices and accessories being sold every day across the world. Ignore the gadget opportunity at your peril…

Digital devices Phones, tablets and PCs have become part of everyday life through which, most people conduct digital lifestyle. Bluetooth technology is the wireless constant in all of them, and the key to making the Internet of Things (IoT) solutions accessible to everyone.an estimates 2.3 billion Bluetooth phones, tablets, and PCs will ship in 2018.

Entertainment Bluetooth has forever changed the way we experience music, video and media around the world. Bluetooth speakers will account for an estimated 66% of all speaker shipments this year, which is still only a fraction of the 1.2 billion Bluetooth enabled audio and entertainment devices that are forecast to ship in 2018.

Connected vehicles Bluetooth will come as standard in 86% of all new vehicles likely to be shipped in 2018. Bluetooth products have brought new levels of safety to our roads and more convenience to the in-car experience since its first introduction in cars around 2004.

Smarter Devices Bluetooth Low Energy (LE), introduced in 2010, is powering the connected device market, which is projected to ship 780 million Bluetooth enabled devices in 2018. By connecting billions of everyday devices and enabling the invention of countless more, Bluetooth technology is helping make the IoT vision a reality.

Smarter Marketing Bluetooth enhances the visitor experience and creates rich, personalised experiences for concert goers, museum lovers, sports fans, and tourists. According to recent research 84% of global airports, and 75-90% of stadiums in the USA are projected to be using Bluetooth beacons by 2019, and location-based services deployments are expected to increase by five times by 2022. This trend opens up huge marketing opportunities for communicating with target prospects and existing clients as they shop, socialise and live their lives…

Smarter homes Whether connecting TVs to sound bars or PCs to keyboards, Bluetooth technology has been at the heart of the connected home for years. With 600 million Bluetooth smart home devices forecasted to ship in 2018 alone, Bluetooth is now helping deliver the promise of the smart home.

Bluetooth has come a long way and is now part of most of our lives whether we realise it or not… To stay in touch with this technology is important if we want to deliver max return on our promotional pounds and stay close to our target digital consumer.